Remorse
by Luna'lift
Summary: What would have happened if Tom Riddle had excepted Harry's offer and felt some remorse? Memory erased, childhood restored, Tom Riddle is sent back to school to retake his seventh year with pretty much everyone else. And his life sucks, big time.
1. Riddles and Weasleys

**AN: I know the story idea is kind of odd, but I always wondered what would happen if Tom Riddle had taken the second chance Harry offered him at the end of DH. Remember Tom has no memory of any of the evil things he's done. He still knows who he is, and is still pretty malicious :) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any Harry Potter, although I wonder if JKR will sell them on eBay...**

"I wonder what made him decide."

"Whatever it is I wish he hadn't. It's not like all the people he killed are just going to come back to life."

Ginny and Ron were sitting hunched over at the back of the library. Ron was back for his final year, along with Harry, Nevil, Hermione, and many other young wizards who weren't able to finish school.

Coming back would probably have been exciting if it weren't for the fact that another student who had never attended seventh year was coming back, even though the missed year had occurred nearly fifty years ago.

It didn't matter that Harry erased his memory. It didn't matter that Professor Magonagal told them all that he wasn't the same person anymore. No one cared. Saying those things didn't bring back all the people he killed. It didn't suddenly make him good. They might say he was Tom Riddle, but everybody knew he was still Voldemort.

Tom wouldn't mind the looks of hate and anguish that followed him everywhere if he had deserved them, but Tom never knew what crimes they were accusing him of, which person on Voldemort's list of casualties made this person cry, who Johnny Medal was, or Candy Jordan, or who the hell this Snape person Slytherins kept talking about was. Sometimes he would wonder vaguely if Snape was some sort of mascot, and Voldemort had gotten into killing snakes too.

Tom remembered once liking Hogwarts, but he didn't remember much of anything else. Apparently that meant that the rest of his life was all evil, filled with killing and crap like that. It would be nice to remember just a bit of the stuff people kept accusing him of.

At the moment he was feeling particularly annoyed. Listening to the Weasels talk was annoying him. What right did they have to say this stuff. Tom didn't like the Weasleys. It had nothing to do with the fact that they were blood traders, Tom didn't see the big deal behind all the pure blood crap, no it was just that the Weasley's hated him, so he hated the Weasley's.

"Talking about me again are you," Tom sighed in a bored tone.

"So what if we are," Ron said, after getting over the initial shock of having Tom appear out of nowhere.

"I really don't care. You may continue as you please. Don't mind me, I'll be quiet." Ron glowered at him. Tom vaguely recalled that a death eater had killed one of the Weasley twins. Maybe he and Mrs. Weasley could have tea sometime.

He remembered that it had been Ron who had stood and yelled at the headmistress when she told the school of his "arrangement". Tom had it pretty sweet at Hogwarts. He wasn't in a house, nobody wanted to stay with Voldemort. He got his own dorm and common room. He even ate separately. He only had classes with the other students. Everywhere he went someone yelled at him. He'd sustained about three bloody noses during transfiguration alone, two of which had come from everyone's favorite obnoxious redhead. People enjoyed beating up the dark lord.

It was ironic that Tom had two friends at Hogwarts, well not that he had them, but who they were. One was more explainable, Blaise Zabini. A wealthy Slytherin with a father in azkaban, the other made everyone tilt their heads in confusion. Tom Riddle was the most hated person in school, so how he managed to get along with the most beloved kid at Hogwarts was beyond him. Harry and Blaise were the only people who seemed to realize that Tom wasn't Voldemort anymore. He was a kid like the rest of them.

When Harry had started hanging out with Blaise and Tom the whole school had been in uproar. Harry Potter and Voldemort, friends, no way in hell. Tom had to admit, it had been pretty funny seeing Ron's face turn so red after he found out. He was pretty sure that Harry and Ron weren't quite as close as they used to be.

The Weasley girl was glaring at him again. She seemed to enjoy glaring.

"Go away Riddle."

"Oh I'm sorry, am I invading your personal bubble?" Tom mocked. And then there was Ginny. Honestly Tom had no idea what Harry saw in her. She didn't hate Tom quite as much as Ron. She more hated the idea of him. He was often forced to get along with the youngest Weasley for Harry's sake, but when Potter wasn't around they were very open with their mutual dislike.

"Come on Ginny let's go." Ron sighed.

"I feel hurt, do you not like me?" Tom whined sarcastically. Ginny and Ron threw him simultaneous death glares.

"Tell Harry I can't come to Hogsmead this weekend," Ginny called out behind her.

"I'm not your personal messenger Weaslette." he muttered. Tom couldn't quite decide if that exchange had put him in a sour mood or if he'd already been in one.

It was a typical day for Tom, which meant he was substantially bored. He headed for the grounds. It was raining, not pouring, but there was still hardly anyone outside. Tom like the rain, he also liked solitude. It felt good to be rid of all the stares and hatred. Good to sit back and relax.

"Bad day Tom?"

"What's it to you."

"I'll take that as a yes." Blaise said, smiling. People knew Harry and Tom were friends, and they were, but it wasn't like with Blaise. Blaise didn't have any other friends before Tom. All of the kids he used to hang out with became death eaters, and were either in Azkaban, on the run, or had their memories erased like Tom. Of course Blaise was the one who found Tom. Blaise didn't really like rain, but he knew Tom did.

"So Harry canceled on Hogsmead, something about only wanting to go if the short Weasley could."

"Do we have to go then," Tom groaned. He hated Hogsmead.

"Of course we don't, you know I hate Hogsmead too."

"Forest?"

"Sure." Tom and Blaise spent most of their free time in the Forbidden Forest. Most kids were terrified of it, but most of the monsters weren't as awful as people made them out to be. It also easily the most magical place on the grounds. The lake was just a lake, with some mermaids and a squid, all the magic in the castle had to be brought there, and the grassy field outside the castle wasn't particularly special at all, but in the forest there was a tingle in the air, something special, something almost other worldly. You could feel the magic when you stood with in the trees.

Tom could see the thestrals, almost everyone could these days. He liked to watch them. They reminded him of himself. Nearly everyone hated them, found them creepy and evil. Death followed them everywhere, and pain with it. Tom was definitely just like the thestrals. Maybe he didn't look like a skeletal horse, but that's how everyone treated him. The thestrals didn't seem to care that no one liked them, and neither did Tom.

**AN: I know, no much happened, but this was more of an explaining chapter. The next one will be from Luna's point of view, I promise. Please review! I don't care if you write like one word.**


	2. Stupid People

**AN: Happy chapter 2! I am shocked at all the beautiful story reviews :) Special thanks to Kristy, Avaline Malfoy, and Dopey220. I wouldn't have gotten this chapter out so fast if it weren't for you! Just for everyone to know, if you're into goopy romance this isn't your story. There won't even be any romantic mumbo jumbo for a while, and I never imagined Luna a PDA freak so yeah.**

Luna Lovegood didn't get bored. It wasn't her style. Life just couldn't be boring, there was just too much to do. Luna could just sit and stare for hours, no boredom added. That didn't mean she couldn't hear the whispers, people talking behind her back. Luna didn't mind, at least they noticed her.

When she first came to Hogwarts everyone whispered, then she made friends. They still whispered, but less. It almost made Luna lonely, the fact that now, they had better things to talk about than her.

Luna didn't get the big deal. It wasn't really like Voldemort was coming to school with them. So why did everyone care so much? Luna didn't dislike Riddle for the same reasons other people did. She didn't not like him because he was all that was left of Voldemort, but because of his stupid sense of superiority.

Luna had always hated the Slytherins, how they always acted better than everyone. Tom was the same, but worse, much worse.

"Harry, come on, we haven't gone to Hogsmead together just the three of us in like forever."

"Hermione you know the whole reason I baled on Tom was to spend some time here with Ginny."

"You spend all your time with Ginny. Ginny or them."

"Mione, how many times do I have to tell you, they have names."

"What you see in those jerks, I have no idea."

"There my friends okay."

"Honestly, they are friends, you just get off on the publicity of pretending to be their friends."

"How could you say that Mione?"

Harry and Hermione, Luna thought. There should be a movie about them. Friends who can't stop arguing over the stupidness of Tom Riddle and Harry's over swollen ego. They could win an Oscar. Oscars were for movies, right? Luna made a mental note to check that later.

"Besides I don't think Ron wants to be seen with me."

"Harry! Think about it. The golden trio, in Hogsmead. Reporters would love that." Hermione said hopefully.

"I have thought about it. Reporters would pay much more attention to something that could get the headline **THE GOLDEN TRIO, BROKEN APART. HARRY POTTER, CAST OUT BY HIS OWN CLOSEST COMPANIONS, IS LEFT ALONE AND FRIENDLESS. WILL HARRY'S LIFE BE CAST INTO A PIT OF MISERY OR WILL HE DISCOVER WHERE HIS TRUE FRIENDS LIE.** And they could put a huge picture of me on the cover!"

"You are impossible Harry."

"Some of us are trying to study." Luna snapped sharply. Harry and Hermione both stared at her. Luna stood, annoyed, and excited the room in a huff.

"What's up with her?" she heard Harry whisper to Hermione as she walked away. Luna was sick of everyone.

She'd never really liked Ron and Hermione, they were much too close minded. Harry had been nice, then he developed that swollen ego and bam! He became just as annoying as the rest of them. Nevil had always been great, but he got a job and wasn't in school this year.

Luna walked out onto the grounds. It was raining, lightly, but still almost no one was out. Luna liked rain, but she really wasn't in the mood to enjoy it today.

She noticed a light on in Hagrid's hut. She quickly angled toward it. Luna liked Hagrid. He was always sweet to her, and his cooking was better than her dad's.

She knocked twice, no response. She sighed and walked around back to the pumpkin patch. Sure enough Hagrid stood there wrestling with what looked to be giant aphids.

"Hello Hagrid." Luna sighed, a little less dreamily than usual.

Hagrid looked up from his task for a moment. The giant aphid thing made a run for it. Luna watched it escape toward the forest. "Good to see you Luna." Hagrid said, smiling, but looking somewhat flustered.

"Um, what was that?"

"That was something illegal, guess I'll have to go after it now."

"That's too bad." Luna said, shaking her head. Then she smiled. "Hagrid may I come with you. I do love the forest."

"I guess an extra pair of eyes never hurts." Hagrid said. Luna was ninety percent sure he was smiling under all that hair.

Luna shivered, the forest was cold. At least having to keep up with Hagrid was keeping her somewhat warm. "Should be around her somewhere," Hagrid muttered, more to the world in general than her.

About then Luna saw it. It was the smallest thestral she'd ever seen. It still staggered around, hardly able to stay balanced. "Hagrid look." Luna whispered.

"Must of been separated from it's mum." Hagrid sighed.

"What will happen to it?"

"It'll never get back on it's own, poor little thing, something will come along and eat it soon enough."

"That's horrid."

"Yeah. Specially seeing as the mom will still find its corpse." Luna felt slightly sick. She had always loved the thestrals. A thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Hagrid, I think I'll stay here, until it finds its mom at least."

"Fine by me, just be careful." Luna nodded and Hagrid walked away, calling out loudly for the weird aphid thing. Luna sat down next to the small thestral.

"Hello." she whispered. "I believe you're lost little fella." It licked her hand and she rubbed its chin appreciatively.

Luna was startled when a loud growl came from the bushes. She spun around and yelled, "Stupify." Something made a loud keening noise, then was silent. Luna stood and pushed aside the bushes. She had to suppress a giggle. Hagrid would probably be quite annoyed to know that Luna had found, and nuetrulized his beast in a few seconds. She left the aphid thing, and turned back to the baby thestral. Luna cried out in shock, it was gone. She pushed through the trees, following the smashed undergrowth that must be where it had went.

She stopped as she got to the edge of a large clearing filled with thestrals. It wasn't the skeletal horses that made her stop though.

"Come on Blaise, they really aren't that bad."

"Tom open your eyes these things are terrifying!" Luna groaned, of course she had to stumble into her favorite duo.

**AN: Sorry it was so short, I promise to post more soon. More reviews would be nice :) I had something else to say, but I have forgotten, toodles!**

** ~Lift~**


	3. Hexes and lovesick Blaise's

**AN: Sorry it took so long to update, I was working on some crappy original stories. There are tons of people I'd like to thank for making this story happen, but that would take to long. I do want to thank Kirsty () and apologize if I continue to misspell your name. Anyone who reviews my story twice wins gold in my book. I STILL NEED BETA. Hope you enjoy.**

** ~Lift~**

"Hey Luna," Blaise said, smiling that idiotic smile he wore every time the crazy Lovegood girl was around. She completely ignored him. Instead she turned on her heel and made to leave the clearing.

"Going somewhere Loony? Afraid to get near us? Something scaring you?" Tom taunted, being sure to make his obnoxiousness maximum annoying.

"Actually I just came to see the thestrals, but it appears you've already taken care of that."

"Sure, sure. If I were the Weasel girl I bet you'd hang round. Although everyone knows she's more of a scaredy cat than a newborn kitten." Tom snided. He loved prodding at peoples resolve, trying to make them fall apart like a house of cards.

"Honestly Tom, you must get a life. You are quite atrocious."

Tom decided it wouldn't look that great if he burst into fits of laughter, so instead he prodded further. "At least I don't sound like I'm from the fourteenth century. You always act better than everyone Lovegood. It's Luna this Luna that, just because your mum got killed. You know some of our mums actually committed suicide. Of course your mum probably did too just to get away from you."

"Now you've done it mate." Blaise groaned. And at that precise moment Luna drew her wand and yelled a rather nasty hex at Tom. He was not actually expecting that, but even with feathers growing out of his back managed to draw his own wand. The hex he flung was even more unpleasant than Luna's.

"You know why your mum committed suicide Riddle," Luna managed to yell through fish lips. "Because your father was a washed up no good muggle who left you to die!"

Tom breathed in sharply. She did so not just say that.

"Patrificus totalus!" he yelled just as she cried,

"Stupify!"

It was Blaise who had to levitate a flustered Luna and a rather unconscious Tom back to the castle, seeing as he didn't know the counter spell for either of them.

"Dueling! You should know better. You of all people Luna." Madam Pomfrey sighed, shaking her head.

"I would have even expected you, Blaise, to at least try to stop them."

"Come on you know I suck remembering any useful spells."

"I know that you're pretty good at transfiguring the magazines you keep under your mattress."

Blaise shut up, and turned dark red.

"What about me, I don't get a speech on what you expected out of such a well behaved pupil?"

Madam Pomfrey glared at Tom so sharply he was sure she'd cut him in two. If looks could kill...

"I'm sorry, but you know how awful Tom is." Luna muttered.

At first Tom was thinking that was a low blow even more Luna, then Madam Pomfrey nodded her head in agreement. That definitely shut him up.

Tom wasn't completely sure why Blaise was here, all he did know was that Madam Pomfrey was scrubbing scales off Luna's neck and a floating pair of tweezers were making a very slow and painful job of plucking feathers off his back.

"When you two learned avius and screptile hexes I have no idea, but they are damn annoying when it comes to curing them. No counter hex, just lots of medical attention. I really could kill you Blaise for letting this happen.

Blaise spluttered, and it sounded like he said something along the lines of, "me...didn't...how could... why would... I... innocent." Also he might have mentioned something about not having killed the monkey. It was hard to tell.

"Madam Pomfrey, can I please go back to my dormitory," almost looking terrified of having to spend the night five feet away from Tom.

"Not until you're fully recovered miss, I'm sorry but those are the rules."

Tom smirked.

"I am sorry," she said, glancing at Tom rigedly.

"Does no one like me?" Tom sighed sarcastically.

"Sorry mate, you aren't exactly loveable."

Tom shot him a fake wounded look, then they both smirked and high fived. The large tweezers behind his back jabbed painfully into his skin. He had the sinking feeling a certain nurse was controlling them.

"I have to go finish some homework."

"Blaise, you cold-hearted liar, it Saturday and you never do homework early."

Blaise shrugged, and ran out of the room as quickly as possible without actually running.

Madam Pomfrey bustled off toward her office. Great I'm alone with Loony, could my day get any worse? Tom thought.

"Blaise seems nice." Luna said thoughtfully.

Tom was incredulous. She expected him to actually engage in conversation with her?

"I don't need to talk to you Loony."  
"Well you just did, if you really didn't want to you wouldn't have said anything, although I guess your exact terminology was need to, and you don't need to do anything. Not even breath, because really you don't need to live. Of course you do need to breath to survive, unless you're an alien, but who knows some aliens may breath. What they breath is the question. Maybe carbon dioxide, like trees, but it would be so unlikely that they would breath any sort of natural gas. Do you know the variables..."  
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Tom groaned. Luna was quiet for a minute then in a hotty voice you said,

"You know why no one likes you Riddle? Because you don't tolerate a thing. Someone has to be perfect, which to you means just like you. The only people you can be friends with are people who actually will tolerate just about anything because you're impossible. I don't know what Blaise sees in you."

Tom groaned. "I don't get what Blaise sees in you either, you're self centered, always annoying but never realizing it, whining about made up things, and do you know what the worse one is? You sulk over the fact that people pay less attention to you now I'm here. How could you want that sort of attention? Whoever you pass blaming you for a sibling, or cousin, or parent. You know why I don't have many friends Lovegood? Cause there aren't many people who want to befriend lord Voldemort!"

"You're going unhinged Tom." Luna whistled. "Can't take the pressure.

He groaned and rolled over. This was going to be a long night.

Luna woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, and thrilled to be allowed to leave the hospital wing. She snuck out while Tom was still asleep, and smiled, happy to have survived the night.

It was bright and sunny out, and even though it was a Hogsmead weekend, she decided she'd wait for some rain and maybe go tomorrow.

"Hey Luna."

"Oh, hi Blaise. If you're looking for Tom he's still asleep."

"Actually I was looking for you." Blaise said, bushing a little.

"Is there a problem?" she asked curiously.

"I was just wondering if you were going to Hogsmead tomorrow and if you were, and you know not busy, if I could come with you, I mean if that's okay. I don't mean to pressure you please don't fee pressured. Just as friends of course, unless I mean you want to go out with me in that case it would be fine, I mean great to go on a date with you Luna, if you're not busy and only if you want to, you can say no, oh please don't say no, I mean don't feel like you have to say yes unless you want to, but it would be nice if you said yes, but I can feel you're going to say no, not that I mind or care, but it's not like I don't care about you I'm just okay with, oh you're going to say no I can feel it." He said alt his so fast Luna had absolutely no idea what he was talking about let alone what he actually said.

"What was that Blaise?"

He took in a deep breath then quickly said, "Would you like to go to Hogsmead with me tomorrow."

She watched amused as he flinched away as if preparing to be hit by a hammer.

"That would be fine Blaise, just as long as we don't go into that horrid candy shop. I do ever so hate sweet things."

Blaise's face was suddenly filled with a huge grin. He bowed to Luna.

"Thank you miss," and still gleaming like the sun walked off toward the hospital wing, presumably to talk to Tom.

That was odd, thought Luna. Should be fun to go to Hogsmead with company though, just as long as Tom doesn't tag along.

"Your doing what!"

"Going to Hogsmead, with Luna, tomorrow."

Tom scowled and stormed out of the hospital wing, not bothering to ask Madam Pomfrey if he was allowed to go or not.

**AN: No this is not turning into a Blaise Luna fic, it just makes more sense for her to run into Tom if she's going out with his best mate. Honestly all the coincidental running intos in noncannon fics really bug me. Promise to update soon. Remember I still need a beta and Review!**

** ~Lift~**


	4. Fake chapter!

I'm sorry this isn't an actual chapter, I'm just writing t say I will update in the next two days. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've just been busy. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer.


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